( J<* ) 



North- Weft, we made fail. I fhould have thought 

 the fanctity of the feftival, which was that of Eaf- 

 ter-day, would have prevailed with the captain to 

 delay our departure till next day, efpecially as it 

 was now afternoon. But as we were pretty fhort 

 of provifions, a day's delay might be attended with 

 difagreeable confequences. We foon loft fight of 

 land, and after failing about an hour, after enjoy- 

 ing the curious fight of the mixture of the waters 

 of the fea and of the Mifliffippi, but fo as to be ftill 

 diftinguifhable, we at laft found ourfelves got 

 to pure fait water. 



I may poflibly be told, that we had quitted the 

 right channel, and I will allow this might be the 

 cafe. But the fight or ftruggle we obferved fo near 

 the fhore, is no fign that the river gets the better to 

 fuch a degree as to force itfelf a paffage, and for 

 twenty leagues in the open fea, to give laws to the 

 ocean itfelf. Befides, were this fact true, at leaft 

 in the time of the great land floods, in the place 

 where we then were, how could men be at fnch 

 a lofs to find out the mouth of the river ? The 

 difference in the colour of its waters would have, 

 fufrlciently, guided the moft inattentive. 



With regard to this colour, I have told you that 

 the Miffiflippi, after its junction with the Miffouri, 

 takes the colour of the waters of this river, which 

 is white: but would you believe it, of all the 

 forts of water which are made ufe of in long 

 voyages, there is none which keeps fo long as this ! 

 Befides it is excellent drinking after having been 

 left to fettle in jars, at the bottom of which is 

 found a kind of white tartar, which in all appear- 

 ance ferves both to give it its colour, and to purify 

 and preferve it, 



